Brewing Excellence: Crafting the Perfect Cup of English Tea
We all know that St Mary's runs on tea - here's how to make the perfect cuppa.
In the heart of British culture lies a cherished tradition – the art of brewing the perfect cup of tea. While it may seem simple, achieving that quintessential balance of flavour, strength, and warmth requires a delicate touch and a few key techniques. Whether you're a seasoned tea connoisseur or a novice seeking to master the craft, here's a step-by-step guide to crafting the perfect cup of English tea.
1. Choose Your Tea:
The foundation of any great cup of tea begins with selecting the right blend. While black tea is the traditional choice for English tea, there's a wide range of options to explore, from robust Assam to fragrant Earl Grey. Choose a high-quality loose-leaf tea for the best flavour, and consider experimenting with different blends to find your perfect match.
2. Boil Fresh Water:
Fill your kettle with fresh, cold water and bring it to a rolling boil. Avoid reboiling water sitting in the kettle, as it can become stale and affect the taste of your tea.
3. Warm the Teapot:
To ensure that your tea brews evenly and retains its heat, pre-warm your teapot by rinsing it with hot water. This step helps to prevent the tea from cooling too quickly and ensures that the flavours are fully extracted during brewing.
4. Measure the Tea:
For a standard-sized teapot, measure approximately one teaspoon of loose-leaf tea per cup, plus one extra teaspoon for the pot. Adjust the amount of tea to suit your personal taste preferences, considering that a stronger brew will require a longer brewing time.
5. Brew the Tea:
Place the measured tea leaves into the warmed teapot, then carefully pour the freshly boiled water over the leaves. Cover the teapot with a cosy or tea towel to retain the heat, and allow the tea to steep for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on your desired strength.
6. Serve with Care:
Once the tea has finished brewing, gently stir it, then pour it into cups using a tea strainer to catch any loose leaves. Add milk and sugar to taste, if desired, although many people feel the milk should go in the cup first. This point is hotly debated!
So, gather your favourite teapot, select a fragrant blend of tea leaves, and embark on a journey of tea-making mastery that will delight your taste buds and soothe your soul. Or you could grab a mug and a tea bag like most folks do!
Boiling water tap, 2 x Firetrucking Christmas Mugs (heated with boiling water from said tap first,) Waitrose English Breakfast tea bags, one per Firetrucking Christmas mug. Pour out heating water and dry Firetrucking Christmas mugs, add tea bags to Firetrucking Christmas mugs and add boiling water from boiling water tap. Stir and steep for about 30 seconds, add full fat milk to Firetrucking Christmas mugs and enjoy. (Did you notice I like saying 'Firetrucking Christmas mugs'?)
Lapsang Souchong or Russian Caravan, please. And only one of the Russian Caravan blends with Assam, Keemun, and Lapsang Souchong, none of those Oolong blends, thank you.